’t IJ Plzen

Brewed by Brouwerij ’t IJ
Style: Bohemian Pilsener
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Serve in Flute, Footed Pilsner

Unlike you would expect this ’pils’ looks like myrky wheat beer. Color is dark yellow. The beer has great head. Smell is not good, and brings only yeast on mind. Taste is bitter sour. Yet again not typical for pils.

Draught at the brewery. Cloudy, glowing deep gold with a low, fine head. Fruity, with honey, apricot, saaz, citrus and grass. Sweet, fruity flavor with great hops. Like a light hoppy Belgian ale. Rich, thick, slightly heavy. Super hoppy.Great biscuity malt. Really tasty for 5%.

33cl, Dutch organic brew, from De Bierkoning Amsterdam, complex brew, yet easy to drink, balanced, cloudy, rocky head, good brew

In short: A very yeasty, doughy/creamy Pilsner. Very good beer.
How: Tap at brewpub
The look: Cloudy blonde body topped by a medium white head
In long: Nose has grassy hops with a noble Saaz-ish character. Not quite the Saaz bomb that I love from the style but close enough. Body is very yeasty, creamy, doughy, fluffy. All the beers I had on tap at the pub had that same body texture. Not a problem per say, but not appropriate for this particular beer, I prefer crisper bohemian pilsners. Taste has some kind a straw cream, dough, a bit of coriander-like spiciness, fresh wet hay, lots of dry grass. Mild bitterness, mild dryness. I enjoyed this beer. Tourist observation: I visited 3 actual brewpubs in the Netherlands and two of them (this one included) were built under a windmill. Windmills seem to be some kind of comforting symbol and Dutch like to congregate. Like a big glowing yellow M in America.

Clear yellow with big white head. Banana in the aroma. Noticeable bitterness at the front end. A little soft, low carbonation presence, and overtaken by the bitterness. It mellows a bit with time. Still, my least favorite of the ’t IJ beers. (on tap at brewery)

On tap at the brewery. Unclear straw color with a dense white, lacing head. The aroma is light and consists of lots of grassy and herby hops. Light sweetness and medium bitterness on a light body. Nice with a really fresh pilsner, though not really reaching the levels of it’s bohemian models.

Bottled, bought at the brewery in Amsterdam. The bottle gives away an aroma with some herbs and hops. This is extremely lively, after a while the foam head grew so big I couldn’t pour any more beer - it kept bouncing off! The aroma is more of white bread, while the taste is rather bitter with a finish of fresh hops.

Bottle Shared with Maltador. Really good and refreshing Pilsner. Full of fruits. The bitterness is terrific and so deep. I’ve really enjoy this one. Would like to drink it again.